Page 8 of Learning to Trust

We all sat around the large outdoor table and, with bellies full of steak and salad, continued chatting. I'd always love sitting out on the deck, which overlooked the pool. Beyond the manicured gardens, the sapphire blue waters of Cooper's Beach sparkled in the sunlight. I'd spent many days lying on the white sand before cooling off in the waves. Off to one side of the pool was a tennis court, and although my friends and I were a long way from what was considered talented, we'd enjoyed numerous matches on the well-kept grass while my aunt acted as umpire.

The overcast skies and earlier threat of rain had cleared into a warm, sunny day, and a salty ocean breeze played with the tips of my hair. I was thinking about my aunt and everything we had done together when Steve's voice broke into my thoughts.

"Beer?" Steve was on his feet, holding up an empty beer bottle and waiting for our responses.

David, who was seated beside me, gave me a pleading look. With “no, only water” on the tip of my tongue, I focused on his gorgeous eyes and capitulated. The smile that lit up his face had me glad I’d granted his silent request. I was in trouble with this man.

Over the next couple of hours, we became more familiar with each other, and I learned a little more about David and his family.

David's mother had passed from cancer eight years earlier, leaving his father feeling alone, bitter, and convinced she hadn't loved him enough to fight for life. As a result, he'd eventually handed the reins of the business over to David and had become somewhat of a recluse.

One interesting fact I discovered about my new neighbor, thanks to his sister, was how hard he'd worked to prove himself before his asshole of a father had trusted the company in his hands. David was highly intelligent, with a master’s degree in engineering and a doctorate in computer science from Princeton. Janice had also attended the university and had degrees in advertising and marketing. While David was CEO, a position he'd held for two years, Janice was in charge of marketing and advertising the products and services.

I was speechless when I learned that two years earlier, David, then aged thirty-four, had been the sole brain behind both Gofer and Hipenow. After their continued success, David's father finally decided to retire and hand the reins over to his son.

One thing that troubled me was how flat David’s voice became when he was asked about the business. I suspected he was unhappy with his position.

I saw a lot of myself in the man who, when pushed on the subject, admitted he'd be designing state-of-the-art apps, capable of helping those with disabilities if he had a choice. He spoke passionately about his ideas, but his demeanor reverted to the flatness I'd heard earlier when he admitted that after discussing the idea with his father, he'd been ordered to stick to managing the office and leave app development to others. Since his father continued to hold a majority share in the company, David, being a loyal son to the bastard, hadn't argued to get his way.

My heart ached for David, but I also felt anger. He was a creative being who was stifled by being forced into management. Having a submissive nature, he had given in to his father's will.

"What about all of you? Cody told me earlier that none of you are into relationships," Janice probed.

My friends and I exchanged a quick glance, unbeknown to him, for the second time since meeting David.

"None of us are into long-term relationships, but we have a wicked lifestyle." I glared at Leon, the only Sub and big mouth in our group.

“How long have you and Steve been married?” I congratulated myself on successfully redirecting the conversation.

"Fifteen years." Janice smiled at her husband before standing. "I'd love to stay and continue chatting, but we promised to help David pack up his asshole ex's stuff."

David glanced at the watch on his wrist before he and Steve stood. "The van will be arriving in a couple of hours. I don't want to reschedule."

“Want some help?” Now why the fuck was I offering to help with something so personal to David?

Janice and David exchanged a look before he shrugged.

“Sure, that would be great. The faster I get the prick out of my home and life, the better.”

“We’ll stay and finish up here and lock up when we leave,” Kyle offered.

“Thanks.” I turned to David. “Do you need any boxes?”

"I have a few in the garage, but a few extra won't go astray."

On our way out, we each grabbed a handful of boxes. At David's front door, I handed him six new keys I'd put on a metal ring.

"Which one opens the door?" David asked as he studied the keys as if they might bite.

"Any of them. I keyed all the locks so the same key opens them. It saves you looking for one in particular. I wasn't sure how many people you gave keys to and can do more if needed."

“This is enough. I’ll give one to Janice, another to my housekeeper, keep two for myself, and lock two in the safe.”

David unlocked the door, keyed in the code to deactivate the alarm, and we all entered the house.

Chapter Five

DAVID